Consumers still like paper coupons

NEW YORK — Digital purchasing has not displaced paper money, and digital discounts have apparently not yet displaced paper coupons. Seventy percent of consumer packaged goods coupon users still use print-based coupons such as those in free standing inserts (FSI), according to a study from GfK Custom Research and News America Marketing.

Traditional FSI coupons are redeemed at a rate eight times that of digital coupons, Among heavy CPG coupon users, those using paper coupons spend 8% more annually than their digital counterparts. And Millennial coupon users are looking to the FSI – with 63% of this age group using traditional print coupons

Meijer pilots curbside pickup of groceries

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer is the latest retailer to test out curbside pickup of online orders. The regional mass merchandise chain is piloting a new shopping service called Meijer Curbside that lets customers pick up grocery orders curbside without leaving the car.

Currently being piloted at one store in Grand Rapids, the Meijer Curbside program enlists specially-trained team members to hand select every item in a customer's order and shop according to special instructions and personal preferences. The retailer is considering future rollout possibilities in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky later this year.

After placing orders online, customers choose their preferred pick-up time, between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. daily. For orders of one to 12 items, orders can be picked up in as little as one hour. For orders of 13 or more items, customers can schedule pick up in about three hours. Customers can also place an order up to three days in advance.

For a limited time during the pilot program, Meijer is offering the service at no charge. Following this initial phase the service will cost $5 per order.

The Meijer Curbside team shops all orders prior to scheduled pick-up times and keeps all grocery items at the optimal temperature, using dedicated freezers, refrigerators and warmers to keep everything on shopping lists fresh and safe until customers arrive. More than 23,000 of the most commonly shopping grocery items and preferred general merchandise are currently available for Meijer Curbside orders, as well as prepared meals and sides, specialty cakes, and pre-made party trays.

When customers arrive for pick up at the designated drive-thru area, the Meijer Curbside team loads orders in their car and uses a mobile device to take payment by credit card. Meijer mPerks digital coupons are accepted for all orders. Currently, paper coupons are not accepted.

"The way customers shop for food is changing, and Meijer Curbside is one more way we are striving to find solutions to everyday challenges and bring more convenience to our customers," said Michael Ross, VP of customer marketing and emerging technology. "Meijer Curbside allows us to help our customers save time by remotely shopping for items throughout our store and choosing their own personal pick-up time."

99 Cents Only Stores shrinks Q4 net loss

CITY OF COMMERCE, Calif. — 99 Cents Only Stores Inc. shrank its net loss to $2.3 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015, compared to net loss of $14.7 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014. Net loss decreased primarily due to a previously disclosed workers' compensation charge in the previous fourth quarter.

"We are pleased with the progress that we have made during what was a transformative year, as we executed on key elements of our long-term strategic plan,” said Stephanie Gonthier, president and CEO. “We opened a record 40 net new stores during the year and completed a major store remodeling program, while at the same time upgrading many of our legacy IT systems. We made significant progress in enhancing our seasonal and general merchandise offerings and continue to work hard on expanding the selection of everyday consumables in our store.”

For the full fiscal year, 99 Cents Only swung to net income of $5.5 million from a net loss of $10.9 million. Net sales increased 5% to $1.93 billion from $1.84 billion. Same-store sales climbed 0.4%.

RELATED NEWS

Sam’s Club senior vice president and GMM of consumable and health and wellness will be retiring at the end of the fiscal year, a Sam’s Club spokesperson confirmed Wednesday. Turner-Mitchael is a 26-year veteran of the company, having joined Walmart in 1992 as a pharmacist in Lubbock, Texas.

Grocery retailer and wholesaler Supervalu has shared the results from its fiscal 2018 third-quarter, which included a boon to its wholesale business in the form of its Unified Grocers acquisition, even as retail sales declined. The Minneapolis-based company’s total continuing operations saw net sales of $3.94 billion — up 31% from $3 billion in the same period last year.

RLA Collective, an OTC/healthcare-focused integrated marketing agency, made the 2018 Innovation SABRE Awards shortlist for three programs in digital/marketing: “Best in Digital Marketing/Advertising” for an integrated media campaign with Vetoquinol U.S.A; “Best Use of Video Networks” utilizing Facebook LIVE to showcase pet care advice from Tomlyn's resident veterinarians; and “Best in Brand Narratives” for a unique video testimonial influencer campaign, “VSL#3: The Journey Back," (featured above) the company announced last week.

Petrics, a pet health technology company, is looking to make tracking weight, activity levels and rest periods a whole lot easier for pet owners. By launching the Smart Pet Bed, Activity Tracker, pet Health and Nutrition App, the Las Vegas-based company is aiming to help those four-legged family members achieve optimal weight ranges.

Forgotten Password

Registration complete

REGISTER

USERNAME *

Spaces are allowed; punctuation is not allowed except for periods, hyphens, and underscores.

E-MAIL ADDRESS *

A valid e-mail address. All e-mails from the system will be sent to this address. The e-mail address is not made public and will only be used if you wish to receive a new password or wish to receive certain news or notifications by e-mail.

Password *

Confirm Password *

Please choose a password for your account; it must be 8 - 30 characters. .

First Name *

Last Name *

Company Name *

Job Title *

ZIP *

Are you a *

Retailer or Healthcare professional

Non-Retailer

How many stores do you operate?: *

Which best describes the business/industry you work in?: *

Which best describes your job title?: *

Please select the newsletters you would like to subscribe to

DSN A.M.
Daily news stories covering the retail drug industry

Breaking News
First-to-the-market with developing stories in the industry